It sure are growing pains, the thing that is growing however isn’t the economy but inequality.

Disposed? They were going to be refurbished as ATACMS isn’t being produced anymore since 2007. For now, current stockpile are needed for refurbishments until its successor, PrSM can actually get out in actual numbers which takes time and is unlikely to outpace Russian Iskander production which has already at least 7 months ago, almost reached peak ATACMS production and probably has by now if not surpassed.

But because of the US sending them into Ukraine, they don’t have these ATACMS that would be very useful to equip NATO or US forces in Europe with at least until PrSM becomes available in large numbers and knowing US production tendencies, will be quite some years away.

(Doubt the ATACMS problem is as bad as the Stinger problem, they had to get retired employees whom are in their 70s to teach new employees because some smart person decided to cancel stinger production, retire the Stinger and give them to the national guard til Ukraine).

It’s going to be the modern day missile gap.

Personally, I think it would be better to keep Amtrak majority state owned and throw billions of dollars at it. In fact, why not send out a $3 trillion stimulus package to get some Jobs going?

While I would not mind increased automation and use of AI in workplaces, using them in call centers for social security is beyond stupid.

Edit: unpopular opinion I guess, fair enough.

The foolish orangutan wants to have Iraq on America’s doorstep.

As Critical Magazine states

“Invading Mexico to wipe out the cartels would effectively jettison everything America learned from our mistakes in the War on Terror. It would be costly, both in lives and treasure. It would be deeply unpopular — and it would fail.”

“For starters, the cartels are not mere gangs. The cartels effectively control chunks of Mexico and are in many ways ingrained into society there. They are not a separate external growth which can be lasered off with a well-aimed cruise missile: the infection has spread throughout the body. Wiping out the cartels would require our soldiers going door to door, house to house, waging war. This is not to even mention the massive cost of such an attack. A Harvard study found that the total cost of the Iraq War was about $3 trillion; we have no reason to think Mexico would be cheaper.”

As some guy on the internet stated:

“There are mountains in Mexico as tough as Afghanistan. Mexicans taking to the hills, like the Afghans, would give the US a constant headache until the Americans are thrown out. Remember, like the US, Mexico started as an insurgency. Every. Single. Mexican conflict has been asymmetrical guerilla warfare (heck, that’s what the drug war is in the first place, that’s why it’s so hard - now we’ve just multiplied the problem by sending the entire Mexican Army packing to the forests and mountains). That’s what Mexico knows best. And that’s a nightmare scenario for the US.”

The Mexican military has RPG-29s and the RPG-29 was considered so dangerous that the US refused to give M1 tanks to Iraqi security forces until years later and when they did, Iraqi M1s started to drop like flies.

America should double down support for the Ukrainian regime that shot and killed unarmed pro-separatist protestors on film with some of those being shot at, having their hands up with this occurring even before Russian war criminal Igor Girkin ignited everything further? A strange albeit sadly common take.

Yes, I am quite aware. US cut off intelligence to Ukraine and are planning to end sanctions with Russia which is as if the Americans stop cooperation with the Soviets completely during WW2 and gave lend-lease to the Nazis instead.

I personally see Russian conflict with Ukraine to be more grey vs grey considering that there is footage of Ukrainian troops mowing down pro-Russian protesters with guns in post-Maidan Mariupol (not as bad as Russia’s Bucha atrocity I admit) but to each their own.

Think of it however you want, someone else here stated that freezing it is just means that all that aid goes into Trump’s pockets instead which is certainly a good argument for unfreezing this aid and sending it into Ukraine anyways even if it won’t achieve much in the end.

Personally I think it is smarter if Europe keeps their stockpiles in country and prepare for a future war with Russia and the American aid gets sent to NATO allies instead.

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The US did halt lend lease shipments to the USSR in the middle of Stalingrad in order to support actions in Tunisia.

I wondered what he smoked and where would I be able to get some.

I’d suspect the five million ain’t going to be worth much after Trump is done.

I mean the US already sent too much to Ukraine. European members can hardly add much, UK sent bascially all of their SPGs to Ukraine for example. 6 months ago, Ukraine used 15% of US ATACMS stockpile. US six months ago only had 2,000 ATACMS left. Iskander production last year was around 360 (which outpaced use) and Russia has plans to produce 750 this year. US and their European allies are having their stockpiles bled dry and why send more for a country that clearly ain’t going to make it? As far as I can tell, most Russian units aren’t even in Ukraine and I suspect late April is going to be interesting considering I see signs of a possible Re-Invasion of Ukraine but take that with a grain of salt.

The VA is already understaffed, how is making them more understaffed going to make them more efficient?